First cup of the day. I was so excited to try this tea that I actually made a cup a few days ago, but did not like it at all. I’m trying it again and hoping that I enjoy this cup more. It smells very fruity – of peach and apricot, and there is a strong gingery aroma noticeable from the steeped tea. The flavor is mostly ginger – I can only taste a tiny amount of the fruitiness in the aftertaste. This tea isn’t terrible, and it would probably be good if I liked ginger more or if the peach or apricot flavors were a little stronger, but it’s a little too gingery for me. I’m glad that I got to try it though (thanks, Nicole!) and I will take the rest of this to my mom, who will probably love it.

I am officially on fall break! Yesterday was actually the first real day of my break, but I spent the day reading and napping. I think that I am just so worn out from my crazy day at the hospital on Thursday and my whole clinic group actually felt pretty poorly, so I think we’re all fighting off some kind of sickness.

Our little parakeet also passed away yesterday. I’ve had him for 5 years, and he came from the shelter as an adult, so we think he was probably older when we got him. He hadn’t had any outward signs of illness, just gradually was getting a little more quiet and losing a few more feathers than normal. He started chirping really strange yesterday and when my fiancee and I ran in there, he was on the bottom of his cage. We tried to pick him and sit him back on his perch, but he went right back to the bottom. Thankfully it was very quick and he didn’t seem to suffer terribly. Yesterday was the first day in weeks that my fiancee and I were both home at the same time, so I can’t help but feel like he was waiting for us all to be there with him. The dogs, cats, and my fiancee and I sat next to his cage so he wasn’t alone at the end. The house is unusually quiet this morning, and I’m missing his cheerful chirping already.

Today I have a nice and clean house to myself, so I plan to spend the day with my pups/kitties and read and drink tea. I also need to get half of my paperwork done for clinic so that I don’t have to worry about it on my actual days off (Monday and Tuesday). I’m going to savor every minute of this fall break!

-Dry blend has large black tea leaves and twigs with small petals and small pieces of dried fruits.
-Dry leaves smell like fruity apricot and peach. Tea liquor aroma is of juicy peaches with a strong hint of ginger.
-Tea liquor is a clear very dark brown color.
-Overwhelming ginger flavor and finish. Faint fruity aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Fair tea. Flavor is overwhelmingly ginger.